Theresa’s Fund Adds New President/CEO

Former Executive Director Joins Board

Theresa’s Fund, Inc., which operates DomesticShelters.org the fastest growing website in North America on the topic of domestic violence, announced today that it has brought on Paul Denial, M.S.W., as its President/CEO, and added outgoing Executive Director Anita Hildreth to its board of directors.

Denial was the Executive Director of New Life Center in Goodyear, AZ, a suburb of Phoenix, from 1999-2017, and is credited for leading the transition of the non-profit organization from its fledging grassroots into a thriving 104-bed emergency shelter with expansive services that was recognized as the “Best Program” by the Arizona Department of Economic Development.

“I’ve had the chance to watch Theresa’s Fund’s transformative work over the last two decades. First by dramatically improving shelter capacity and programs in its home state, and then more recently, by launching an innovative web-based service – DomesticShelters.org – that is one of the most important national resources, having helped over 5 million people since 2014 and nearly 7,000 people each day currently,” said Denial. “I’m honored to be joining a team that’s proven an unwavering commitment to developing solutions that prevent abuse, and that assist survivors and the programs that serve them.”

Hildreth will join the board of directors of Theresa’s Fund after successfully serving as its first Executive Director from 2014-2017, a period in which the organization evolved from 20-plus years of grant making in Arizona to operating DomesticShelters.org that now serves 2.5 million domestic violence survivors and domestic violence program professionals in North America annually.

“Theresa’s Fund has been helping change the landscape since 1992, and since we have been operating in Arizona like Paul, we’ve had the opportunity to watch his efforts and what he was able to accomplish at New Life Center,” added Preston V. McMurry, Jr., Chairman of the Board for Theresa’s Fund.

Immediately prior to joining Theresa’s Fund, Denial was Senior Program Coordinator at Arizona State University’s Center for Child Well-Being, where the belief is that society can collectively overcome challenges and make a difference by ensuring the health and well-being of its children.

He has served on the boards of the Men’s Anti-Violence Network and Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence, as well as having maintained affiliations with the Maricopa Association of Government as Chair, Homeless Planning Subcommittee, West Valley Domestic Violence Regional Council and the Domestic Violence Task Force of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

“I had the opportunity to talk with Paul during his interview process. His extensive knowledge of the domestic violence field will be a great asset to expanding the reach and effectiveness of the amazing on-line resource that is DomesticShelters.org, both for survivors and for advocates working on these issues. I look forward to seeing what his vision brings as we work to reduce violence in our communities,” said Rita Smith, national expert on violence against women.

About Theresa’s Fund

Theresa’s Fund is an Arizona-based 501(c)3 non-profit charity started in 1992 by Preston V. McMurry, Jr. At a time when domestic violence wasn’t yet a headline, Theresa’s Fund focused on changing the landscape of domestic violence services in its home state through grant making, board development and fundraising for Arizona-based organizations like East Valley Child Crisis Center, Sojourner Center, Florence Crittenden, Emerge, UMOM, and West Valley Child Crisis Center. In 2014, it developed the DomesticShelters.org concept as a way to expand its reach to people across the U.S. and Canada. DomesticShelters.org is the first online and mobile searchable database of programs and shelters in the U.S./Canada, and a leading source of helpful tools and information for people experiencing and working to end domestic violence.